While I was in Virginia at OSGF last year attending an artist’s residency, I learned through research that 10,455 enslaved people in Fauquier County, where OSGF is located, were emancipated upon the end of the Civil War. It was shocking to learn of the sheer number of enslaved who were living in this one county, which is not even the largest, nor the county with the most enslaved people in Virginia.

Above: Fauquier 10,455

More sobering was considering the thousands who were released with only the clothes on their backs and their wits as their own. Fauquier 10,455 is a visualization of the number of emancipated souls. It is also witness to a meditation that took place as each dot was stamped individually onto the silk organza, representing an individual freed.

Above Fauquier 10,455 detail

The reverse side lists the initial names I was able to recover.

Fauquier 10,455 is a one-of-a-kind scroll.

Searching/Finding is a unique scroll which visualizes the accumulated data from researching the history of OSGF.

Layered mull (a heavily starched cotton fabric used to reinforce book spines) features a cut and stitched outline of the two adjoining tracts of OSGF, and names of the enslaved interspersed.

Searching/Finding, detail

The shapes of the OSGF properties - Little Oak Springs and Rokeby - are embroidered onto the back of the scroll and are also visible on the front.

Tracings mentions the beautiful stone walls, many built by slave labor, that crisscross the terrain of OSGF and surrounding tracts.

Above: Stone wall with chestnut insert.

I wanted to take rubbings (frottages) of the oldest stone walls, those the enslaved built, which contained spacers of American Chestnut. Thankfully, my other housemate Sefra Alexandra accompanied me on the frottage quest and took the image below.

Rubbing a sample of a stone wall.

Tracings - closed book (right) sitting in open box. The cover features a frottage of a section of one of the many stone walls dotting the landscape.

My goal was to complete Tracings onsite - it was important to me that the book should be at, and of, the place. My thought is that it would be made with what was on hand and, though not spontaneous, it would be partially impromptu.

Though five weeks was a stretch, it was not such a long time to conduct research and complete a book (actually two books and a box)!

Above: With my fabulous housemates Barbara and Sefra.

Above: Map of Richmond, detail

I am currently contemplating my post-OSGF adventure in Richmond and the new work it inspired. Looking forward to sharing!

As a reminder, History of a People, a conceptual artist’s book that traces African American history and culture through scent, will travel with Who is America at 250? Artists' Books on the State of Democracy, co-sponsored San Francisco Center for the Book (SFCB) and the CODEX Foundation. This touring exhibition is open at SFCB from January 17 through March 8, which coincides with the 2026 International Biennial CODEX Book Art Fair & Symposium in Berkeley (February 7-10).

Several events related to the exhibition are scheduled during the CODEX fair:

• Friday, February 6th, a kickoff party is scheduled at SFCB from 6-9pm.

• Sunday, February 8, at the CODEX Symposium, two exhibiting artists will give talks starting at 9:15am, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A at 10:40am.

• Wednesday, February 1l, a gallery walk-through with the exhibition curators and some of the exhibiting artists will take place from 6-8pm.

The exhibition will be on view at the Boston Athenaeum, March 30 - May 16, followed by the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, June 12 - August 16.